Pennsbury High School's Prom has been named the Best in America check out photos from their past dances to get inspiration for your big night!

Pennsbury High School's (Ann Shoket went there!) Prom has been named the Best in America by Reader's Digest! Melissa Aguilar, one of the chairs for Pennsbury high school's prom committee this year, dishes on going to prom on a budget, picking an amazing theme, and how you can have the best night ever at your prom!

More

view gallery

01of10

01Of10

01Of10

Prom on Parade

Prom on Parade

The day of prom, we have a parade across campus. The school is available for a community walk through from 12 to 3 for everyone to see the countless hours and work the students put into the event, and the school sets up performances, such as local singers and dancers. At 5, the parade officially begins! Although any air entrance or certain “exotic” animal entrances are not permitted, students arrive in the most lavish and creative ways they can think of. Students step off of their floats and on to the red carpet, and, finally, the night of their life begins.

01Of10

The Perfect Theme

The Perfect Theme

The best prom theme is one chosen by the students themselves, and the students at Pennsbury pick their theme by ballot at the end of junior year. The theme should be general enough to have sub themes, like “Novel Night”, “Games and Entertainment”, or “Bucket List”. Finally, it needs to be creative and not something overdone, like “A Night in France”. This year we're doing “Fantasy Worlds of Magic and Superheroes”!

Prom on Parade

The day of prom, we have a parade across campus. The school is available for a community walk through from 12 to 3 for everyone to see the countless hours and work the students put into the event, and the school sets up performances, such as local singers and dancers. At 5, the parade officially begins! Although any air entrance or certain “exotic” animal entrances are not permitted, students arrive in the most lavish and creative ways they can think of. Students step off of their floats and on to the red carpet, and, finally, the night of their life begins.

2Of10

The Perfect Theme

The best prom theme is one chosen by the students themselves, and the students at Pennsbury pick their theme by ballot at the end of junior year. The theme should be general enough to have sub themes, like “Novel Night”, “Games and Entertainment”, or “Bucket List”. Finally, it needs to be creative and not something overdone, like “A Night in France”. This year we're doing “Fantasy Worlds of Magic and Superheroes”!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3Of10

Hypnotizing

My favorite prom memory has to be the hypnotist show — it's so funny and exciting! I’ve been to prom the past two years, as a sophomore and junior, and it never gets old! There are two shows a night, and about 25-30 students come up to be hypnotized while the other prom go-ers watch. The show and seeing all the pieces of hard work come together are what I'm most looking forward to for this year!

4Of10

Dance the Night Away

There isn't one most important aspect of prom! From the amazing 3D murals to the delicious food we have catered to the musical performance: every aspect works together to create an amazing night overall. However, a great DJ or performer is particularly important, since the dance floor stays open until 2 AM!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

5Of10

Old and New

The perfect prom playlist is a great mix of good old classics and current top 100 songs! Some of my suggestions are:

And, of course, no prom playlist is complete without "Don’t Stop Believin’" by Journey!

6Of10

Prom on a Budget

No one will know that the gorgeous dress you are wearing is actually borrowed or was in the clearance rack! Ask all of your friends if they have any dresses you can borrow for the night, and make sure to keep it in tip top shape. Or, see if your school has a program where girls can borrow prom dresses if they can’t find or afford a new one. For hair and make-up, check local technical high schools or beauty colleges. The students have the supplies and skills needed to give you an amazing look for a whole lot less than a professional salon!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7Of10

Go With Friends

Prom is all about enjoying yourself, and if a date is going to tie you down it’s best to not even have one! Going with a group of friends can be just as much (if not more) fun. Get creative if you are going to ask someone! One girl was asked to prom by scavenger hunt, which took her from her house on a train to downtown Philadelphia, on a cab to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Her last clue told her, because our theme was "Bucket List", “Things to do before you die… climb those steps!” At the top of the steps was her best guy friend holding a sign that said “Prom?” along with flowers!

8Of10

Grand Entrance

Since we have such a big school, everyone tries to stand out at prom by having the most epic entrance. Everyone also looks for dresses or tuxes so different that it's guaranteed no one else will be wearing the same one! From huge princess ball gown or home-made dress for the girls, and top hats to kilts for the boys — the more unique, the better!

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

9Of10

Creating Memories

My favorite part of planning prom so far has been getting together with the other people on prom chair and brainstorming creative ideas. It's such an honor to be on the prom committee — you get to be a part of creating your senior class’s night of a lifetime! The stress of knowing people are relying on you and your prom group to create something beautiful can be intense, but I know it’s definitely worth it!

10Of10

Our Dream Performer

We try everything to get a great performer. Our past prom performers like John Mayer, Ryan Cabrera and Pennsbury alum Asher Roth that keep us going! This year, we sent a package to Katy Perry with Wonderland (the book about our amazing prom!), and other Pennsbury prom swag. She's our number one choice for this year — wish us luck! We are hoping very much that the lovely Miss Perry will join us for the night of our lives.